2. But I know The Rockettes have performed for an inauguration in the past. I hadn't noticed, so maybe it was off to the side somewhere and hardly mattered.
3. Or maybe there weren't enough bloggers back in 2001. There were no tweeters. Perhaps it should have been mocked and trashed, but new media had not yet lined up with our legs synchronized and ready to kick.
4. My trouble picturing The Rockettes at an inauguration is remedied by finding video of The Rockettes kicking at an inauguration:
5. Oh, good lord, they were prancing around at the feet of the statue of Abraham Lincoln. The symbolism! The tweets that could have been made if we had Twitter then! I'd like to see Abe get up off that chair — animated by horror of ladies in scanty panties & military garb — and do some kicking of his own.
6. If something shouldn't be done at all, is there more reason to say it shouldn't be done for Donald Trump or less? Think carefully! Your instinctive first reaction is probably wrong.
7. Shouldn't those who loathe Donald Trump be the most enthusiastic about the impending performance of The Rockettes? It's such wonderful raw material: The inauguration is crass and in bad taste, like everything else Trump touches. The "dancing" is all about maximizing staring into women's crotches, so apt for the man who made us focus on pussy-grabbing. The Trump administration is messaging us that it intends to reduce women to sex objects. They had to get as many kicking legs out there as possible to symbolize how Trump plans to treat vulnerable Americans. Etc. etc.
8. Marie Claire is leaking quotes from Rockettes from a private meeting with management: "I think that the Rockettes have always been apolitical, and now by performing at this particular inauguration, it's making us political," "We were #1 trending on Twitter and it's just really hard to see, especially our faces being likened to Nazis. Is this not something we could have foreseen? I think it's been really hard for all of us. Especially around Christmas, and the schedule's so hard, and we're all so tired." Management argued that it was "ironic" for those who hate Trump's hate to be hating on Trump, and one Rockette said, "it just sounds like you're asking us to be tolerant of intolerance."
9. Are The Rockettes apolitical*? Art is or can be political, depending on how you define political. But The Rockettes are a long-running, highly commercial act. No existing artist is expressing anything meaningful through the continued repetition of this dancing that was dated and spent half a century ago. From "A Catcher in the Rye," which came out in 1951:
10. Yes, the dumb guy in the audience, impressed by the precision, readers have been laughing at him for as long as I've been alive. But the show still pulls in money, and it still gives long-legged young ladies a dancing job. Management instructed the dancers in branding: "This is a great national event... It's a huge moment in the country's history... The fact that we get to participate in it... we are an American brand, and I think it's very appropriate that the Rockettes dance in the inaugural and 4th of July and our country's great historical moments." That's the brand: Old-fashioned, uncritical Americana.
11. Like it or loathe it, that's your audience. And it's kind of Trump's audience too. If you are a conscientious objector to that, go ahead and anguish over the dissonance in your life. It's a good time to think about how we want to live. How much branding and commerce do you want imposed on you? How much principle can a scantily clad, rigidly choreographed woman maintain? What are people expected to do to keep their jobs? When do you see your job as significantly creative and expressive of your individual mind? How much do we join together to get economically valuable things done — in a chorus line, in a country — and when do we break away from the group and insist on our personal autonomy? And what will happen to us after we do?
_________________________
* Joe Biden was a member of The Rockettes in 1968, or so it says on his résumé.
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124 comments:
But remember, you have no right to refuse to bake me a cake for my Big Fat Gay Wedding, you Christian serf.
Meh! First World problem.
Would they feel better dancing to 'Springtime for Hitler'?
"I think that the Rockettes have always been apolitical, and now by performing at this particular inauguration, it's making us political,"
This twerp ought to ask the marketing department about the demographic of your average Music Hall customer.
Think they are NYC Elites, like those that booed Pence at Hamilton?
I suspect they are 90% plus Out of towners from the flyover states in town to show the kids the sights.
IOW, Trump Voters.
Never go full SJW, as Glenn would say...
Americans do so many strange things.
I didn't realize the Rockettes were so gauche or that there was something wrong with pretty girls dancing in front of one of our monuments to celebrate the inauguration of a president. Next thing you know, we'll all be drinking PBR out of a red Solo cup.
Apparently, absolutely everything must now at all times have some deep political meaning. And it better be the correct meaning. Slutwalks show how woke we are, practiced professional dancers how plebian.
I'm with the Professor on this one. The Rockettes seem rather inappropriate to me.
The Rockettes don't matter. Anyone thinking, even briefly, that they do is wasting their time and effort. It is your right to do so, but still a shame to see.
Trump's voters would like the Rockettes. They are not Mexicans and do not wear Bourquas, do they? And matching their numbers up with alternative performances by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is great Entertainment.
#4: I have a problem with Larry King performing at an inauguration.
Donald Trump is NYC.
This is as close as he can get to having the Inauguration in Times Square.
I am Laslo.
@ Susan
Slutwalks should continue forever, as they are great places to meet women. Not at the center, where the bullhorns and most of the placards are, but at the edges of the crowd. The halfhearted lady supporters who really just want to be out strutting their stuff without the political overtones, but subscribe to them in a feeble way to show a shadow of solidarity with the slut-sisterhood.
Faking a feminist-friendly attitude is the natural opener for such occasions, but it doesn't have to persist past the second drink. By the time she's got her feet behind her ears, you'll be surprised just how utterly uninterested in feminism she really is. Girls who aren't happy about the "patriarchy" ought not to be calling their new lover "daddy" over and over in breathless tones.
Poor Abe.
Apolitical? Dunno....gender politics? Are men allowed to apply?
Did you know when they perform their routines they never touch each other even though it appears they are locked arm in arm? Such precision!
Its difficult to accept that the only stepping stone to opening a dance studio back in the hometown is to suffer working in this ridiculous dinosaur of an organization.
Yes, it's a dated performance. I've never thought much of it even when my blood was half testosterone. But they do make money. I would vehemently object if they carried on only because of a government grant of some sort. As it is, meh. Same for the symbology, if you can find any.
The whole Inaugural spectacle is dated. The timing, especially, is archaic and needs shortening - again. The gap between election and inauguration has been shortened once. The last three weeks at least needs to go. The asshole in office now is making this painfully obvious but all presidents are assholes and they're at their assholiest when the're lame ducks. I'd chop off more than just January if I got to set the date.
The Rockettes show Hollywood how to do Barbie Crotch right (it's all about drawing attention to the legs, if you're staring at the crotch, you're doing it wrong. That can't be allowed.
Why do we even have these stupid, over-the-top celebratory activities that are more befitting an imperial coronation than the election of a civil servant in a republic. That, along with dumb phrases like "leader of the free world" and "most powerful person on earth," just contribute to the cult of personality that already pervades too much of the office of the presidency.
Forget the Rockettes. Just open the doors of the White House and provide whiskey punch.
All these artistes anguishing over performing for Trump's inauguration or threatening to blacklist anyone who does would happily perform for some Central Asian thug willing to pay.
The San Francisco Symphony recently cancelled two Spring tour concerts in North Carolina over HB2. This announcement came soon after their Fall tour of the Far East, including concerts in Shanghai and Beijing.
I'm glad this appears to upset you so, Althouse.
Virtue Signaling by Rockettes. How precious.
1. Yep.
...
5. A clearly stated rephrasing of #1, with which I agree wholeheartedly. Especially: So why them? Why there? It seems dissonant to the occasion and like Althouse I'm kinda surprised I hadn't noticed their prior participation. But then, who does watch this crap?
6. I'm sure someone will address why this is worse to do for Trump. There always is some asshole who wants to make this a post about how it's Trump's fault that other people are acting kooky.
7. We'll find out soon enough.
...
8. It's just really hard to see, especially our faces being likened to Nazis. Really? So why not suck it up and do your best and stop pretending that you're being asked to dance for Nazis. You're not. It's a regular old American election. Stop listening to the SJWs who are egging you on, for tomorrow they will be back to saying how you, YOU, are supporting the patriarchy and that doing your 100-year-old minstrel show is keeping women down!
...
11. Prancing around like a historical reenactment of a vaudeville staple is not being "creative" or "expressive." It is being employed. Full stop. In this role you are not an artist, you are merely a trained animal. And like the rest of us you have to eat.
I'm disappointed in Trump on this one. Rockettes? I would have preferred topless Vegas dancers.
Has anyone pointed out yet that the signature move which the Rockettes execute is pretty darn close to goose-stepping?
"We were #1 trending on Twitter and it's just really hard to see, especially our faces being likened to Nazis. Is this not something we could have foreseen? I think it's been really hard for all of us. Especially around Christmas, and the schedule's so hard, and we're all so tired."
It's a shame that life is so unfair to young, long legged, pretty women. Can't somebody do something?!?!
So there is a difference between dancing as Nazis and dancing like a Nazi? Nice catch, Chicklit.
If you look closely, the Rockette costumes only appear to be scanty. Actually, the young ladies are very well covered.
But if they want to go SJW, why are the Rockettes only cis-gendered women ? Shouldn't they be more, uh, diverse ?
Perhaps upon seeing the Rockettes Lincoln would have said that his eyes had seen the glory of the coming of the Lord, He has loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword?
Disinvite the Rockettes. They made it political. You can get a Chinese kickline that not only kicks their leg, but flips over and lands upright--one at a time. It looks like a spiral. Or bring in a high school group from friendly territory. Let the Left wither and burn. Not one penny to the Left any more.
Henry proposes Forget the Rockettes. Just open the doors of the White House and provide whiskey punch.
I think Trump is a little more savvy than was Jackson.
Just open the doors of the White House and provide whiskey punch.
And Chik-Fil-A sandwiches.
"Prancing around like a historical reenactment of a vaudeville staple is not being "creative" or "expressive." It is being employed. Full stop. In this role you are not an artist, you are merely a trained animal. And like the rest of us you have to eat."
One thing I have liked about Trump is his speaking about ordinary jobs with respect — the people in these jobs have dignity and it matters. We can see that these Rockettes really are just young people who are lucky to have jobs in dancing. They are working. You don't have to disrespect them. I don't like saying "you are merely a trained animal." Are cashiers and waiters and home health care providers trained animals?
You may be saying they're acting like they're big when they are just small. But how do you treat the people you see as small?
What I hear them saying in that leaked private meeting is that they feel hated and it hurts them. They're not being grandiose and not even saying that they want to protest Trump. They just don't want to be exposed to the kind of hatred they are getting.
If performances there have to be, The Rockettes certainly are greatly to be preferred to Beyonce, Lady Gaga, or any other of the current "A-listers"!
While you picture Lincoln doing some 'kicking' of his own, I picture him getting up and joining in the chorus line for a grande finale. Like something out of an old Busby Berkeley musical.
I agree with Laslo that Trump is NYC and so are the Rockettes. But let's be clear Professor Emeritus Althouse - YOUR brand of feminism was a BIG LOSER in this election. The President-Elect felt empowered to grab willing women by their pussies, this was made public, and he WON ANYWAY. He is married to a HOT Eastern-European woman. The women in the Trump Whitehouse are going to be sexy in a classic cis-normative manner! Deal with it! Elections have consequences, as the Man-You-Think-We-All-Love famously stated. The Rockettes may indeed be viewed as kind of a personal "fuck you" to '70s feminist types, so let's think of them that way. Whether the Trump landslide generates a tsunami that washes the stain of feminism from the land remains to be seen. I, for one, will enjoy the entertainment value.
SJW's goad another American institution into self-sabotage. Which is a good thing. We must be very close to the point where the reflexive response to SJW's is "go fuck yourself" or "you're fired".
"Trained animal" might be a little harsh. I could have easily written "you are just doing your job," but I used an exaggerated tone to match the one I've heard in news reports where Rockettes were quoted as saying (perhaps inaccurately by the radio reporter) that they refuse to perform because it would be like dancing for Nazis. In this context my "trained animal" remark reflects the ridiculous tone of the speech I've heard.
I don't watch inaugurals, so I was surprised they had "entertainment". I mean did that start?
Why not give some amateur production some prime time exposure? Why go the commercial route.
If I were Trump, I would stick with flyover D-listers, and find a way to make clear once again to his voters that the entertainment elites despise them more than him.
There are presidents who seek the job to be somebody,and those who seek to do something.
the people in these jobs have dignity and it matters.
That sounds a little patronizing. A skilled auto mechanic is damned necessary to those of us who drive. Just as necessary as a doctor. Ditto a plumber or an electrician.
I've never watched the Rockettes but after seeing several high priced Vegas acts and the Las Vegas dancing girls (Tropicana?) - I'll take the dancing girls.
How popular are these "A-listers" anyway? People forget that most of America doesn't give a fuck. A movie may be a Box Office smash, but 90% of the USA rarely goes to a movie.
We have 320 million Americans and if 10% buy your DVD or watch your Youtube video, you're a mega-superstar. If 1% buy your book - you're Stephen King.
I think it would've been cool for Trump to break with tradition - again - and say "We're not going to spend your tax money anymore on this sort of stuff in my administration. Inaugural parties are now cancelled. #draintheswamp"
the people in these jobs have dignity and it matters.
But apparently bakers, photographers and pizza makers don't.
The Rockettes may indeed be viewed as kind of a personal "fuck you" to '70s feminist types, so let's think of them that way.
It eludes me why someone like Beyonce would be viewed favorably by feminists. She would seem the very antithesis of what feminists stood against in the 70's.
Please. It would appear participating in the Rockettes itself is a greater mark of "intolerance" and "racism" than Trump's inaugural ceremony. But count on the media flipping the narrative from "those poor Rockettes" to "dancers chosen for their whiteness" by Jan 20th.
The Rockettes: “One of the Most Racist Organizations in American Entertainment”
The Rockettes are currently locked in a battle against Donald Trump, with members refusing to participate in his upcoming Inauguration. But who’s the real racist here? Now, some very ugly skeletons are coming out of the closet on this organization.
The Rockettes: they’re as American as apple pie, baseball, and the 4th of July. But that squeaky clean image has a pretty dirty history. And according to critics... this is an organization with a long — and very recent — history of extreme racism against non-white dancers.
How recent? ...the Rockettes refused to allow any dancers of color into their organization until the late-80s. That is, the 1980s. In other words, the definition of hiring exclusion based on color, i.e., flat-out racism as strictly defined.
...In 1983, the New York Times noted that the Rockettes had a stated, above-board policy of excluding any black (or any non-white) dancers.
“The shapely legs — over 5,000 pairs since the Rockettes began in 1932 — are all white...” “The chorus line has never been integrated because, as Violet Holmes, its director and choreographer, has maintained in the past, blacks would ‘distract’ from ‘the look of precision,’ the Rockettes’ trademark.”
Perhaps under legal, social, or ethical pressure, the Rockettes finally changed their policies in 1987. By 1988, the organization welcomed their first black dancer, Jennifer Jones. But Jones was quickly sent into a different sort of ‘specialized’ role: “Jennifer Jones, 20, of New Jersey, will join the Rockettes dancers in the upcoming Super Bowl,” Jet magazine reported in January of 1988, under the title, “First Black Rockette”. “She will perform a tap-dance and ‘twist’ number with R&B performer Chubby Checker. Jones will be called in whenever there’s a vacancy in the Rockettes line.”
We’ll leave it at that.
‘One of the most racist organizations in American entertainment history…’
That history certainly casts the Rockettes’ current battles against Donald Trump in a different light. After Madison Square Garden Company executive chairman James Dolan committed the group to perform at Trump’s upcoming Inauguration, a number of dancers publicly protested the forced decision. A recent dancer told Marie Claire that she’d rather lose her job than perform for the President-Elect. “If I had to lose my job over this, I would. It’s too important. And I think the rest of the performing arts community would happily stand behind me.”
The report noted that numerous dancers were ‘crying’ through their pre-Christmas shows, with Trump viewed as a sexist, racist ‘monster’. Others have reportedly dropped out, with a small group agreeing to perform. In-between, in-fighting has also emerged between active dancers and alums, with many taking sides.
According to one source to Digital Music News, all of that wreaks of hypocrisy. “All I can say is you have one of the most racist organizations in American entertainment calling Donald Trump a sexist, a racist, everything in the book,” one DMN reader, a black woman, remarked. “I’m not taking sides on that one, okay? But I’m not sure which is worse.”
Actually, there is an open question of whether enough Rockettes will show up to the Inauguration. If the numbers are too slim, the famous lineup simply doesn’t make sense. Then again, neither does this group’s historical policies on race.
The Rockettes, who have mostly refused media requests after the Inauguration commitment, have not responded to ours.
@rcocean:
How popular are these "A-listers" anyway? People forget that most of America doesn't give a fuck. A movie may be a Box Office smash, but 90% of the USA rarely goes to a movie.
Have you ever produced a piece of work that 10% or 1% of Americans were willing to pay cash for? Also, of the total population, nearly a third is either under 18 or over 65.
Actually, after seeing the Rockettes on the Video they need to be all white and all tall and all leggy and all wearing the same costume or the effect is ruined.
"Have you ever produced a piece of work that 10% or 1% of Americans were willing to pay cash for?"
Have you ever stopped being an idiot or trolling?
The President-Elect felt empowered to grab willing women by their pussies
No he did not. He said when you are a star, women let you do anything. Never said he was a star. Never said he grabbed a pussy. It was a NYC pissing contest with multiple guys talking about their success with women. One would assume things get exaggerated.
@rcocean:
Sweet of you to say. Your mother must be so proud.
There shouldn't even be inaugural celebrations. It's all gaudy, cult of personality crap. Same with monikers like "leader of the free world" and "most powerful person in the world." These are excesses more befitting a decadent imperial coronation than the election of a civil servant in a republic.
Hagar said "If performances there have to be, The Rockettes certainly are greatly to be preferred to Beyonce, Lady Gaga, or any other of the current 'A-listers'!"
As a nod to decorum, the Rockette's uniforms are more modest and appropriate to the occasion than anything Byonce, Lady Gaga and the rest would likely wear.
@ Darrell - So you are suggesting that Donald Trump did not, in fact, grab willing women by their pussies? I'm dashed.
something seems to have happened to the comments. I doubt the Professor would delete a comment agreeing with her that the Rockettes seem inappropriate for the venue.
What I hear them saying in that leaked private meeting is that they feel hated and it hurts them. They're not being grandiose and not even saying that they want to protest Trump. They just don't want to be exposed to the kind of hatred they are getting.
Yeah, they're just some young women who wanted to get into "The Rockettes." They did not sign up for the culture wars. This is, of course, why you get Trump.
"No he did not. He said when you are a star, women let you do anything."
You can be sure that if Trump had literally grabbed anyone by their pussy - it would've been a headline story for 4 weeks. All they could come up with was a few stolen kisses and hugs from 20 years ago.
Not surprising. As a tall, good-looking, charming when he wants to be, millionaire/billionaire, I doubt that Trump has ever had to grab many pussies without permission.
Invite these girls.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmyfhbAF0wU
Rockette who refuses to perform for Obama = racist
Rockette who refuses to perform for Trump = anti-fascist
"No he did not. He said when you are a star, women let you do anything."
You can be sure that if Trump had literally grabbed anyone by their pussy - it would've been a headline story for 4 weeks. All they could come up with was a few stolen kisses and hugs from 20 years ago.
Not surprising. As a tall, good-looking, charming when he wants to be, millionaire/billionaire, I doubt that Trump has ever had to grab many pussies without permission.
Have the Harlem Globetrotters ever hired a white basketball player to play on their team?.......Maybe one of the Marine or Ranger units could be taught to goosestep. That would have so much more gravitas than the Rockettes.
Trump should've gone with no celebrities and let entertainment know that they do not matter.
All these artistes anguishing over performing for Trump's inauguration or threatening to blacklist anyone who does would happily perform for some Central Asian thug willing to pay.
That's the funny part. Looking at who they WILL whore themselves out for as opposed to performing for the inauguration is endlessly amusing.
One thing I have liked about Trump is his speaking about ordinary jobs with respect — the people in these jobs have dignity and it matters. We can see that these Rockettes really are just young people who are lucky to have jobs in dancing. They are working. You don't have to disrespect them. I don't like saying "you are merely a trained animal." Are cashiers and waiters and home health care providers trained animals?
Yeah, that is worded poorly. I'd more say "We're not here to hear your views on anything. We're here for a performance. You dance very well and I'd suggest you go with that." I'd say that to a waiter who tried to lecture me as well.
What I hear them saying in that leaked private meeting is that they feel hated and it hurts them. They're not being grandiose and not even saying that they want to protest Trump. They just don't want to be exposed to the kind of hatred they are getting.
True. But caving into those critics isn't going to make it go away. It only emboldens the critics to be even harsher.
Once you show that you will only perform for people you don't find deplorable --- well, it makes you PERSONALLY responsible to insure that anybody you perform for is above reproach. There are benefits to not trying to determine the appropriateness of an audience.
That sounds a little patronizing. A skilled auto mechanic is damned necessary to those of us who drive. Just as necessary as a doctor. Ditto a plumber or an electrician.
And if a doctor refused to treat you because they don't like who you voted for, they'd be assholes. Plain and simple. The job is quite important. And, fortunately, most people who have truly vital jobs don't get a kick out of being a dick to everybody.
It eludes me why someone like Beyonce would be viewed favorably by feminists. She would seem the very antithesis of what feminists stood against in the 70's.
These same feminists love Hillary, too. They love "strong, independent" women in theory, not in reality. They want the tribe, nothing more.
No he did not. He said when you are a star, women let you do anything.
That anybody acts like this is a shocking thing is the irritating part.
Does ANYBODY actually doubt that a significant subset of women will let stars violate them in almost any way possible? Just as a large subset of men would fuck a hot woman in a second if given the chance.
Why is simple REALITY verboten these days?
If celebrity didn't give you easy access to sex, then how the hell did Patrick Ewing ever lose his virginity?
Once we get on our high horse about the rocketts inappropriateness, lets scoop up all of the rest of the crap that goes for entertainment. These girls are Mormons compared to the entertainers of today.
"How could lined-up, leggy females be kicking for a new President? How is that the proper tone for the occasion?"
We just had 8 years of a condescending asshole in the White House whose idea of musical entertainment is so debased that he claims to enjoy the brutal celebration of mindless violence known as "rap". Make America Great Again.
And what's so funny about precision?
I wonder if it's possible to govern successfully when so many artists and intellectuals absolutely loathe you. Hitler had more support among the glossy people than Trump.......Artists and intellectuals don't have such a great track record. Lenin, Mussolini, Stalin, and Mao had widespread support among the artists and intellectuals of their respective countries. And, as noted, even Hitler had more support.
Except for security for the actually swearing in and the parade, inaugural costs are paid for by private funds. For Jimmy Carter's parade, people in my Air Force squadron were ordered to stand guard (unarmed) along the parade route.
If you want a Nuremberg rally vibe, it's far more present at a Springsteen or Beyoncé concert than at any Trump event.
Obama sends troops to Russian border. Paul Ryan says Assange is Putin stooge. McCain probably agrees. Make the Rockettes kick the shit out of these clown and then they can perform at the Inaugural.
Lady crotches are a celebration of men being wired to be interested.
It's a women's empowerment thing.
We need some men's celebration of not being interested in nagging, say a man space.
@William:
If you want a Nuremberg rally vibe, it's far more present at a Springsteen or Beyoncé concert than at any Trump event.
Precisely why inaugural celebrations should be abolished. They're gaudy paeans to power. Never mind the influence peddling that such occasions give rise to.
True. But caving into those critics isn't going to make it go away. It only emboldens the critics to be even harsher.
This kind of blacklist pressure is not unlike organized crime or terrorism. The entertainment industry has long considered itself more important than government. And indispensable, which it is definitely not.
"No existing artist is expressing anything meaningful through the continued repetition of this dancing that was dated and spent half a century ago."
Would you say that any existing lovers are expressing anything meaningful through the continued repetition of a dance that was ancient when Cleopatra did it with Caesar?
Precisely why inaugural celebrations should be abolished. They're gaudy paeans to power.
J Farmer feels that way until the next time a Dumbocrat gets elected, which if they don't pull their collective heads out of their butts and stop exploiting identity politics at the expense of real people trying to do real work, may be never.
"The "dancing" is all about maximizing staring into women's crotches..."
No, that's striptease you're thinking of. Now, *that* would get Lincoln off his marble sofa. No, we know the Rockettes aren't going to take it off. What you see is all you're going to get. And perhaps that is relaxing. You don't have to fish around for a buck to hand 'em every time they stop moving and meet your eyes.
We just like watching women move their limbs. And dancers tend to have nice limbs. Why do women watch basketball? Are they hoping something will fall out of those shorts?
I love theatrical spectacle. If I lived in NYC, I would be glad to have the opportunity to go watch the Rockettes from time to time. I mean, I'm pretty much like that guy in the audience behind young Holden. I was so disappointed in my late teens when I read Aristotle's Poetics to be given to understand by him that spectacle is the least important of the theatrical arts. I tried to change but it didn't work.
The rockettes are named after Rockefeller.
Anyway I had been about to write that Trump is a quintessential New Yorker and the Rockettes are quintessentially New York. But if the ladies don't perform, then they have gone from "apolitical" to "overtly political." If that kills their brand and they're out on the streets in the cold, isn't that a problem for them too?
The inauguration, like the State of the Union, should have been retired a long time ago.
The Super Bowl halftime show has gotten way out of hand as well. Go back to high school marching bands.
"The "dancing" is all about maximizing staring into women's crotches..."
No, that's striptease you're thinking of.
Crotches are more attractive clothed. The attraction is that they seem like they would be even more attractive unclothed, but this speculation is not true.
Clothing is designed to encourage that impression.
J. Farmer said...
"Precisely why inaugural celebrations should be abolished. They're gaudy paeans to power."
At least there are no gladiatorial contests.
It *is* hard to imagine any Gals waving their Gams at Lincoln's second inaugural. You might say it was a sober, restrained and thoughtful paean to a new and awful power, accompanied by a gladiatorial contest of unprecedented scale and savagery.
Only 11 responses? Your powers of rationalization seem to be fading in retirement.
Anyway, the Rockettes will help to make America great again--at least American legs or American nostalgia--if they can face up to leftist bullying.
At least there are no gladiatorial contests.
"Are you not entertained?"
The attraction is that they seem like they would be even more attractive unclothed, but this speculation is not true.
Speak for yourself. I saw Megyn Kelly's pussy and it moved me (much) more than her clothed version.
Rockettes = small rocks = gravel.
rhhardin said...
"Crotches are more attractive clothed. The attraction is that they seem like they would be even more attractive unclothed, but this speculation is not true."
I don't know, rh. I get your point. But I can think of a few that I found entirely resistible 'til they took their clothes off.
@Big Mike:
J Farmer feels that way until the next time a Dumbocrat gets elected, which if they don't pull their collective heads out of their butts and stop exploiting identity politics at the expense of real people trying to do real work, may be never.
First, I voted for Trump. Second, my criticisms regarding the cult of personality of the president stand regardless of what letter comes after the name.
Blogger damikesc said...
That anybody acts like this is a shocking thing is the irritating part.
Does ANYBODY actually doubt that a significant subset of women will let stars violate them in almost any way possible? Just as a large subset of men would fuck a hot woman in a second if given the chance.
Irritated the crap out of me then and still does now. Everybody, Ann included at the time, misses the "let" part of the sentence. I think on purpose so they can get their panties in a wad.
Monica Lewinski "let" Bill Clinton stick his dick in her mouth. We could argue inequality of power and so on but the end result is that she let his do that. She let him do it because he was the biggest celebrity of all, the PResident.
Would she have let Bill Clinton or any other 50 year old man throat fuck her if they had been night watchman at the pickle factory?
Doubtful.
Justin Trudeau's mother allegedly blew all 5 Rolling Stones one night. Did she blow the ushers at the concert too? Why one group and not the other?
John Henry
Blogger Jupiter said...
You don't have to fish around for a buck to hand 'em every time they stop moving and meet your eyes.
Where are you hanging out? In North Carolina they make you buy $20 worth of $2 bills at the door and give all change in 2s.
Or so I'm told, anyway.
Want to have some fun? Try to spend a $2 bill in McDonalds. Especially with a younger cashier. They've never heard of them before, don't know where to put them in the drawer. (Drawers?)
John Henry
Right. How could they not see that they would be called Nazi sympathizers?
"How much principle can a scantily clad, rigidly choreographed woman maintain?"
Whoops! Coming down on the smalls there ;)
Rockettes seem a bit silly..but kind of funny in light of Mark Levin's established critique of Trump worshippers in congress and on Fox as "The Rockettes".
Trump: Hey..Rockettes. Great idea!
I also imagine it's "New York values" to some degree.
If the Rockettes bow out, he can opt for a stage show honoring single moms.
Blogger Darrell said... Disinvite the Rockettes. They made it political. You can get a Chinese kickline...
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Outsource the inauguration? ;)
It used to be that you only paid attention to the part of the culture that interested you. If others liked spectacular chorus line dancing then they went to that show. That was them. Have fun. Different shows from different parts of the culture made a great spectacle. But now anything that happens in the culture is my responsibility - I'm told, others are told. Now the PC-culture is a thought chorus-line synchronizing like the Rockettes dancing and anyone out of line ruins the show.
PS. If the Rockettes insult 50% of their audience, they are over as an act and yet now they must dance or not dance and thus insult one group or the other. The cultural dilemma of today is that you can't have an audience without losing it in a wave of outrage from some part of the audience. (Make no mistake, Trump supporters will hold non-performance against the Rockettes.) There used to be many audiences. In the PC formulation there is just One Big Right Thought for One Big Audience but in reality The One Big Audience still wants to see different things. Sections entertain themselves booing when the stuff they don't like comes on. They wouldn't do it if they were left free to watch what they like.
John said...
"Where are you hanging out? In North Carolina they make you buy $20 worth of $2 bills at the door and give all change in 2s."
John, my comments on this thread have referenced Julius Caesar and Abraham Lincoln. The era in which I was in the habit of handing dollar bills to naked women is more recent, but a factor of two sounds about right for inflation.
Others may have pointed it out (sorry not worth reading 92 comments to find out) but Ann, you mis-placed the blame!
The "dancing" is all about maximizing staring into women's crotches, so apt for the man who made us focus on pussy-grabbing
Trump did no such thing! It was the DNC and media that did this. How old was that tape again?
At least to the extent that anyone was "made to" go there. Most went willingly...
Susan @ 7:52
That's a darn good post. Well said!
Abe had the best view.
The inauguration is one thing...it's easily viewed as a a fitting finale to the "Thank you tour". But whatever happened to the Obama WH parties that used to be covered? Did those stop or did they do them on the DL?
Sheesh! Just take the Oath and go home or get to work.
Yeah, all the campaign workers want a Victory Party. Do it on your own time and your own dime.
Bake the fucking cake, losers.
@rhhardin 10:02AM
Crotches of the female variety are generally far more attractive unclothed. I say generally because on the unfortunate occasion that one is gazing at a well-worn one, it's no more thrilling than picking items at a deli counter. When the crotch in question is well-kept or chaste, however . . . . yeah, I greatly prefer the unclothed variety.
Especially if humidity is a factor.
I am NOT Laslo.
Thanks for the Salinger snippet. I was surprised at how dull and outdated his prose sounds, so very fifties.
These "artists" better hope Trump is not as vindictive as Obama. Funding for NEA, copyright law, Hollywood tax breaks............. these Democrat darlings could be big losers if their privileged perks are canceled.
Cacimbo Cacimbo,
Are you perhaps referring to the "signed, the majority' post?
I like the Rockettes. Too bad this story has gotten nasty. The immaturity of all the people involved in this story is sad. Performers should keep in mind that inaugural festivities celebrate America and Americans not just a president. I feel insulted.
Oh man, being unfairly maligned in the Media and/or incorrectly called a Nazi? What must that be like? I can't even imagine, you guys!
walter said...Outsource the inauguration? ;)
Doin' the jobs Americans won't do!
@ Walter I guess both. The Rockettes who are whining about performing, turning this into an issue and the artists in the "signed" post.
I don't find the Rockettes to be very sexual. They perform in a variety of outfits that are the norm - to tame for dancers today. People have been bringing children to their Christmas show for decades. Compared to football half time shows which routinely involve crotch grabbing, humping and see through outfits the Rockettes seem very Disney. All that said - inaugurations have become too much of a production.
Shut up and dance or we will ask the carpenters erecting the bleachers to weigh in on Trump or the men putting up the barricades along the parade route, or the sound men putting up the speaker system.
I can't imagine caring about the Rockettes enough to come up with 11 thoughts about them. On the other hand, that British folk singer who would agree to perform only if she could sing "Strange Fruit"--now she's worth a thought or two.
12. Althouse is doing a listicle????
Gotta say-don't really get the "staring at women's crotches" bit. If you actually have seen a complete show there is plenty to watch other than that. Maybe I'm sensitive because I know a woman who was a Rockette and I know how hard she worked with her fellow dancers to get their precision moves perfect. And yes, you must be a certain and weight to even audition for the group. Of course, the NYC Rockettes are the cream of the crop but even the ones who do the traveling shows are really good.
Maybe, because my daughter danced and worked very hard at her ballet and tap dancing and was never more than "good" I have an appreciation for how hard these dancers work.
She was lucky enough to participate in a workshop given by Gene Kelly's understudy (if that's what you call the guy who helps block out dancing scenes) and listened to his stories about the work that goes into mastering something that can look so effortless.
I'm disappointed in the bashing of someone who worked hard at HER PROFESSION, to be part of a world renowned group. I hope no one has bashed YOU for working hard at YOUR CHOSEN PROFESSION.
I'm disappointed in the bashing of someone who worked hard at HER PROFESSION, to be part of a world renowned group. I hope no one has bashed YOU for working hard at YOUR CHOSEN PROFESSION
Nobody is bashing her for being a Rockette...we're bashing her for thinking her opinion matters more than her professional responsibilities.
Shut up and dance.
On the other hand, that British folk singer who would agree to perform only if she could sing "Strange Fruit"
I'd invite her and let her sing the song....I actually play some of it for my 11th grade history classes.....but when I introduced her I'd make sure to mention it was Democrats committing the murders the song is about.
The disturbing thing is that he's having this woman there.
What the hell?
"This is the only opportunity to sow a First Fruits offering in a jubilee year our generation will see! FAVOR UPON YOUR HOUSE IN 2017!"
Gee! You can sow it right there on the site.
According to ABC news, Rockettes have to sign up to participate in the Inauguration, and more have signed up than there are spots available. So the whole issue that there is some "problem" is another fabricated controversy.
Is there something inappropriate about the Rockettes? They are exceptional dancers who are working voluntarily, but they wear revealing and identical costumes and dance in rigid formations which clearly is some objectification of women. Is this realization that they are serving the patriarchy going to cause a few Rockettes to reconsider their career choice? Doubtful. If you don't want to be the object of attention you don't choose a career in the theater.
I suppose if you are a devout Muslim or a radical feminist watching the Rockettes you might feel you to have to avert your eyes. What a strange and dissonant cultural confluence in the fringes.
I hope no one has bashed YOU for working hard at YOUR CHOSEN PROFESSION.
Just read a few article about doctors and how we are the cause of high health costs.
An try to cut down on the whining.
Obama picked a far better evangelical pastor.
Kyzernick,
Whoa, did I just accidentally click over to Heartiste or something?
Freeman,
"Obama picked a far better evangelical pastor"
More's the pity. I could see through this; couldn't you?
I'd invite her and let her sing the song....I actually play some of it for my 11th grade history classes.....
I have Billie Holiday's version on my playlist (along with Ethel Waters' "Suppertime"--you might want to play your students some of that one also). It's a part of our history that we should never forget. However, history is the operable word here. I resent the idea that some British twit thinks it's an appropriate number for the inauguration of an American president in 2017 who, by the way, succeeds an African-American president. I'd like her to point out a country, including hers, in which Africans and Afro-descendants have a better quality of life.
Hey Michael: you made my point. It's unfair to bash you for your chosen profession. I know all about the health care bashing- it's my husband's profession. So, we get it up close & personal from family and not just from the media/politicians,etc.
And to Gahrie: these comments veered way off from the idiot girl who moaned and cried about being part of the Trump inauguration. They were bashing the Rockettes as a group. I know you can read and if you paid attention to comment content you would be able to see that as easily as I did.
There is a waiting list of qualified dancers to become Rockettes, probably more professional than this snowflake.
Just a note Hitler did not have the support of intellectuals and Jewish artist who were leaving the country in droves, or moving to Amsterdam (Beckman, a non-Jew for example). So far in this country we don' have to move, but we can say no to Trump.
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